Oh rats - a former member's traditional boat capsizes

It looks as if Bataan's Bertie has capsized at the end of a circumnavigation.

Wooden Boat Capsizes During Last Leg of Circumnavigation http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?254437-Wooden-Boat-Capsizes-During-Last-Leg-of-Circumnavigation&p=5903756#post5903756

What a shame - Bataan seemed like a very nice, experienced, skilled and even-handed guy from what I can recall. I hope his beloved boat can be recovered.

 

I did not know Bertie had been on a circ. voyage. Does anyone know how to connect with Peter now??? That boat was his home for many years.

 

CT 249, thanks for notifying.

Very sad, BATAAN is still a member here, but didn't post or visit since 2015, maybe we'll hear his story one day, glad he and his wife are save, sorry for the loss of their beloved BERTIE . .

 

So sad for them......

 

This story made its way around sailing forums over the weekend. The skipper and his wife were 65 miles off the coast of New Jersey. Out of nowhere their sailing yacht "The Bertie" was hit by high winds that knocked their vessel over. Skipper Peter Bailey built this boat himself and reports how it happened. Hats off to the USCG on their rescue.

"At approximately 8 pm on the evening of Wednesday, May 29th, our home and sailboat, The Bertie, was knocked down by a "White Squall," and capsized, 65 miles offshore of the New Jersey coast. We were literally swamped and swallowed under within 60 seconds; water rushed in and we were catapulted off the boat and into the ocean. We were able to climb up on to the bottom of the boat and see if we could dive for the emergency epirb device. No luck, it just was not within reach for the breath we had. About 30 minutes later, the boat started to roll back up, leaving the port side with access, and miraculously with the epirb in view, we grabbed and activated it. That was the last offering of life that Bertie gave us. Peter built Bertie with his own hands and poured years of blood, sweat and tears into her being.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of the US Coast Guard, we are still alive! We were plucked from the water, placed in a basket, hoisted up to the helicopter and shuttled to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center with nothing but our lives and just the cloths on our backs!

Everything we owned was lost to the sea ... our tools of the trade, phones, computers, passports, important documents, artwork, photography equipment, photos, travel mementos, home stuff ... everything. We had literally 1minute from the time the squall hit until we were thrown off the boat...."

They have a GoFundMe page to help build a new boat.

2 Boaters Cling to Boat Off NJ for 3 Hours Before Rescue https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Sailboat-Capsizes-Coast-Guard-Rescue-Ocean-New-Jersey-510607161.html

 

An earlier thread about the same incident: (threads now merged)

 

Oh holy cow...it was Battan!? What a gorgeous boat. He must be heartbroken. Well, if we know him he will be sailing again to be sure.

 

I recall he was planning on doing some sailing, but did not realize he was doing a circumnavigation. This time of year the northern Pacific & Atlantic can throw some surprises to be sure. Very glad he and his wife are Ok.

 

If the vessel sank, it is likely in over 15k feet of water. Impossible to recover without a submersible + air bladders and a tow back to the coast. I suspect Bertie is a gonner. To vanish so quickly must have been heart breaking.

 

Sad to hear. Bertie was a large beautiful spray model with lines kept very close to Slocum's original boat and avoided the high windage additions of one noted and popular designer of Spray boats.
Along with Bataan being a former coastie, tremendous knowledgeable of sailboats (his posts here gave me much understanding), and almost certain Bertie was in the finest shape for sea, to hear this is very surprising.

 

can we get a merge....

 

Good idea, I'll send a request for it to the Moderator. 2nd thread title: ‘‘ Reported "white squall" takes down 55ft sailing yacht in 60 seconds! ’’

P.S. - Thanks for the merge Moderator !

 

Threads now merged -- thanks.

 

She may still be afloat. Bataan said he added only about a ton of ballast when she was built. Someone may find her and salvage her.